Through Readers & Writers for LGBT Chechens, I’ve spent much of the past two months encouraging people to donate to the Russian LGBT Network, the primary organization helping vulnerable Chechens escape—first to safer parts of the Russian Federation, and eventually to asylum in other nations.

A message I received today reminded me that there’s still a lot of education to be done.

The message was from someone who saw the need to help, but had concerns about the trustworthiness of the Russian LGBT Network and its online donation forms. The person’s argument was along the lines of “Russia is full of hackers and scammers, so we can’t trust things based in Russia. Therefore Westerners should only support Western charities.”

If everyone followed that reasoning, we’d have 40 more dead gay Chechens on our hands right now.

Many Westerners are understandably wary of Russia and all things Russian. We get a lot of news about the Russian oligarchy and the people, both in and outside of Russia, who bend to its will. Most if it isn’t flattering.

But the oligarchy is not Russia. And I’m pretty sure Putin is not a fan of the Russian LGBT Network.

Quick Facts

Why would the Russian LGBT Network be working in Chechnya? Doesn’t Russia have problems enough on its own?

I looked for a rating of the Russian LGBT Network on Charity Navigator but didn’t find anything. Is this a scam?

Sites like Charity Navigator only rate charities that are registered in the United States. The Russian LGBT Network is not registered in the U.S. However, like many other charitable organizations that operate outside the U.S., it’s a real organization doing real work to save real lives.

Is the Russian LGBT Network trustworthy? They’re Russian, after all.

The Russian LGBT Network opposes Russian laws that impinge on human rights and seeks to actively protect the rights and lives of LGBT people in the Russian Federation. The Russian people should not be held responsible for the actions of their government. Please don’t conflate the oppressed with the oppressor.

Moreover, the Russian LGBT Network has proved its reliability and trustworthiness time and again. Its organizers have risked their lives and freedom to do this work. Mainstream and alternative journalistic organizations like The Independent, BBC News, The Washington Blade, NBC, and The Guardian turn to the Russian LGBT Network for reliable information on what’s actually happening in the Russian Federation.They are also a member organization of the

But why the evacuation? Isn’t Russia is just as bad as Chechnya?

It’s easy for me to sit here in the United States and think that all crappy situations are equally crappy. But they aren’t.

England wasn’t perfect for gay men in World War II. In fact, it was pretty awful. But it was a hell of a lot better than Germany.

LGBT Chechens are begging the Russian LGBT Network to get them out of Chechnya, and the Network has already helped evacuate some of them. While the Network is not disclosing the new homes of these Chechens for obvious reasons, I will trust that if a Chechen LGBT person would rather be in St. Petersburg than Grozny, they are smart enough to make that decision for themselves.

For some, permanent resettlement inside Russia might be an acceptable solution. Many are applying for refugee status outside of the Russian Federation. But they can’t do that from inside Chechnya, where they are at immediate risk of arrest and murder.

Please don’t look askance at “good” because it’s not “perfect.”

OK. I’m convinced. How can I donate?

Donate directly to the Russian LGBT Network via a secure credit or debit card transaction. They’ve recently updated their site to make it much easier to accept international donations. You may need to call your credit card company first to let them know you authorize the transaction.

Are there other organizations I can give money to? I still feel weird about sending money to Russia.

Related

Donate Now

The Russian LGBT Network works directly with LGBT Chechens and other persecuted sexual and gender minorities in the Russian Caucasus.

ILGA-Europe provides funds to organizations helping vulnerable residents of the Caucasus get to safety.

Rainbow Railroad is a Canadian charity working with local groups to help persecuted LGBT people throughout the world find asylum. They have worked extensively in the Caucasus, helping more than 30 gay and bisexual Chechen men flee to safer countries.

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